Manchester City closes gap at the top as Phil Foden's hat trick leads Brentford rally | first division

It had been announced as Erling Haaland's great return to Manchester City's starting eleven. Perhaps there could be a shootout with Ivan Toney, the Brentford striker, who is also recovering after quite some time on the sidelines following his betting ban.

For a while, there was a hint that Neal Maupay might upstage them both when he gave them Brentford A surprising lead midway through a first half that was made memorable by Mark Flekken's challenge on the home goal. But in the end, it was all about another attacker whose talent can seem absolutely irresistible on nights like this.

The Premier League title is back in the hands of City after Liverpool's defeat against Arsenal on Sunday, just where they like. Phil Foden had the ball at his feet in front of goal, even with his head at one point, and that's exactly where he likes it.

Foden doesn't score many headed goals but he did it here to put City up 2-1. He had achieved the equalizer (chest, rebound and shot) while saving his best for the hat-trick, an explosion in Haaland's layoff, every touch perfect, without allowing anyone near him inside the area to get the slightest sniff.

City are on a sinister streak, winning all seven games since their victorious return of the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Pep Guardiola recently said that he feels his players' desire to win and keep winning. Brentford had done the double over the city last season but no one in the red and white stripes could stop Foden. Can someone do the same with their team? The question resonates with increasing force.

The thing about City is that resistance can seem futile. Few have stood as bravely as Flekken did during an extraordinary first-half display; Statistics show that he made eight saves, most of them fantastic. He even got the assist for Maupay's goal. However, when he came full time, he was a footnote.

Maupay's goal was a thunderbolt for the sky blues, surprising for its surprise value because at that moment Flekken's goal was under siege. That all changed, briefly, when he launched a long ball forward, although perhaps the real assist should have been credited to Toney. He set a screen against Nathan Aké, basketball style, allowing Flekken to continue running towards Maupay, who beat Ederson.

Maupay seems to take disproportionate pleasure in finishing off his opponents. He would collide with Rúben Dias in a defensive corner, earn a yellow card for a late attack on Rodri and have a lengthy exchange with Guardiola in the closing stages, after apparently saying something that angered Kyle Walker. Nobody can say that Maupay is not burning in front of goal. He has already scored in five consecutive games. Maybe he should stick to that.

Guardiola was delighted to give Haaland his first start since breaking his foot in early December. For the first time since the opening match At the start of the league season, the City manager counted on Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. It's all part of the narrative that has the club ready to race towards the finish line.

Brentford's poor results are well documented (they are already seven defeats out of eight, although they have deserved more with their performances) and Flekken had to reject Julián Álvarez and Walker twice in the first 15 minutes. Those in front of him took their chances, coming within a block of Ethan Pinnock to thwart Haaland in a particularly vital seven minutes.

Flekken saved the one-on-one against Haaland after a loose back pass from Vitaly Janelt and did well to prevent a Josko Gvardiol explosion, while City almost failed in the first half, even when a Bernardo shot Silva hit Mads Roerslev on goal. fly wide.

Brentford threatened before the break when Sergio Reguilón's cross shot was cleared by Ederson and Dias needed a major intervention to block Janelt with Ederson off his line. Foden, however, eventually restored parity in added time after Pinnock's poor headed clearance from a De Bruyne cross.

Against this City side, it can seem relentless, inevitable and they took the lead in the 53rd minute; After all Brentford's hard work at the back, it was another soft concession. Nobody closed De Bruyne and nobody followed Foden's career. The cross was beautiful. Foden tensed his neck muscles to generate power and precision.

Brentford refused to stop believing. They created the chances to equalize. Christian Nørgaard was denied by a great block from Dias and Toney put too much into a side volley when he was well positioned. Foden would kill them.

“Only Phil will decide his limits,” Guardiola said. “How he moves in small spaces, the impact of him, you get the feeling that he can score. It is difficult to find both the movement and the afterwards being like a knife.”